Ash tray with extinguisher



Aug. 28, 1956 R c GUTHRlE ET AL 2,760,514

ASH TRAY WITH EXTINGUISHER Filed Oct. 20, 1953 IN VIiN T9185 3 0. qlbrm & Jalua BF; ez-ca.

ATTORNEYS Unite States Patent ASH TRAY WITH EXTINGUISHER Roy C. Guthrie and John P. Pierce, West Los Angeles, Calif.

Application October 20, 1953, Serial No. 387,155

3 Claims. (Cl. 131-237) This invention relates to combination ash trays and snutfers in which means is provided in the tray for snufling lighted cigarettes. In particular this invention relates to an ash tray having a cylindrical casing in the center with a block having a rough upper end positioned in the lower end of the cylinder and with a bushing having a cigarette opening. Cigarette gripping means in the opening and rotatably mounted in the upper end of the casing and positioned whereby a cigarette butt inserted through the opening in the bushing is adapted to contact the rough upper end of the block in the casing. Thus upon rotation of the bushing the burning end of the cigarette is completely destroyed by the rough upper end of the block.

One purpose of this invention is to provide an ash tray in which means is provided for completely destroying the tire of a cigarette butt whereby smoke of burning cigarette butts in an ash tray is obviated.

Various types of devices have been provided for snufiing burning cigarettes, however, where a cigarette butt is inserted through openings in cups of other devices in the centers of ash trays there is nothing to engage or destroy the lighted portion of the cigarette and the cigarette may continue to burn or smolder in the receptacle. With this thought in mind this invention contemplates a cylinder mounted in an ash tray and having a block with slots in the upper surface positioned in the cylinder whereby when a burning cigarette butt is inserted through an opening in the upper end of the cylinder and rotated the lighted end is broken up by means of projections between the slots of the block in the cylinder.

An object of this invention is to provide a snuifer for an ash tray whereby burning cigarette butts may be rotated against a rough surface to destroy burning parts of the cigarettes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a combination cigarette tray and snuffer in which burning ends of cigarettes are substantially destroyed in which the device is of a simple and economical construction.

With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention embodies an ash tray having cigarette holding clips on the rim or edge and a cigarette butt receiver mounted on the tray and having means therein for destroying burning parts of cigarette butts inserted and rotated therein.

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the improved ash tray.

Figure 2 is a cross section through the intermediate part of the tray.

Figure 3 is a section similar to that shown in Fig. 2 with the parts shown on an enlarged scale and illustrating a burning cigarette butt gripped by a thumb and forefinger of a hand and inserted in a cigarette receiving opening in the rotatable bushing of the snuffer with the 2,760,514 Patented Aug. 28, 1956 burning end of the cigarette in engagement with a block having transversely disposed slots in the upper end, the thumb and forefinger of the hand being shown in broken lines.

Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating the rotatable bushing adapted to be positioned in the upper end of the cylinder.

Figure 5 is a perspective view illustrating the block with the slots in the upper end against which the burning end of the cigarette is pressed and rotated for destroying the burning elements thereof.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, the improved cigarette snutfer and ash tray of this invention includes a tray 10 having cigarette receiving clips 11 positioned around the edge thereof. A cylinder 12 is secured on a base 13 of the tray by means of a screw 14, and with the screw also clamping a block 15 in the cylinder 12. A bushing 16 depressible in the cylinder and having a flange 17 on the upper end and flat cigarette gripping members 18 mounted in slots 19 thereof is journalled or rotatably mounted in the upper end of the cylinder and adapted to be rotated with a cigarette butt extended into an opening 20 therein.

The tray 10 may be of other suitable designs and may be formed of different materials. In the design shown the tray is formed with a base 13 and the cigarette holding clips extend upwardly from a rim 21.

The base 13 is provided with a recess 22 in which a head 23 of the screw 14 is positioned and as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the screw extends through an opening 24 in a base 25 of the cylinder 12. The screw 14 also extends into a threaded bore 26 in the center of the block 15. By tightening the screw the block 15 and cylinder 12 are clamped to the upper surface of the base 13.

The upper surface of the block 15 is provided with radially disposed slots 27 that are positioned whereby when the burning end of a cigarette pressed against the upper end of the block and rotated, the projecting parts of the block between the slots shred the burning portions or particles of the cigarette whereby the burning parts are completely separated so that the possibility of smoke emanating therefrom is obviated.

The bushing 16 is provided with oppositely disposed slots 19 and a pair of members 18 are pivotally mounted in the slots by means of pins 28, the ends of which extend into recesses 29 in the surface of the bushing. Webs 8 extend across the slots 1% adjacent the pins 221, Fig. 3. The members 18 have a curved portion 9 which engage the webs 8. Thus the members are retained in the position shown in Fig. 2. When the members 18 extend into the slots 19 it is only the upper end of the members that are forced inwardly by depressing the bushing 16. When the members 18 are freed from engagement with the cylinder 12 upon removal of an extinguished butt therefrom, they will gravitate to the position of Fig. 2.

The members 18 are formed as illustrated in Fig. 3 with offset sections 30 at the upper ends and with rolls 31 adapted to pass inwardly through the slots 19 whereby the rolls are positioned to engage a stub of a cigarette, as indicated by the numeral 32 when the stub is inserted in the opening 20. By this means the cigarette butt is gripped in the bushing and as the butt and bushing are pressed downwardly Within the cylinder a spring 33 positioned between the lower end of the bushing and base 25 of the cylinder is compressed, and the burning end of the cigarette butt is forced against the lobes or projections between the slots 27 of the block 15. When the cigarette butt and bushing are rotated while the block 3 15 and cylinder 12 are stationary, the burning portion of the cigarette butt is substantially destroyed and the ashes and other particles are adapted to work outwardly through openings 34 in the lower portion of the Wall of the cylinder 12.

With the parts assembled in this manner a burning cigarette butt may be completely extinguished, and with the burning parts separated from the burning cigarette butt, there is very little possibility of smoke escaping from the unconsumed part of the cigarette butt. After the burning portion has been removed from the cigarette butt, the butt may be removed from the bushing 16 and dropped into the tray.

It will be understood that modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made in the design and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A cigarette receiver comprising a vertically disposed cylinder, a block having radially disposed slots in the upper end thereof mounted in the lower end of the cylinder, a bushing having a cigarette receiving opening and longitudinally disposed slots therein journalled and depressible in the upper end of the cylinder, cigarette gripping members pivotally mounted in the slots in said bushing, said members having oiiset sections provided with rolls on the free ends thereof the offset sections of said members being engageable by the upper end of said cylinder when said bushing is depressed with respect to said cylinder whereby the rolls on said members are forced to grip a cigarette positioned in said cigarette receiving opening.

2. A cigarette receiver comprising a vertically disposed cylinder, a block having radially disposed slots in the upper end thereof mounted in the lower end of the cylinder, 21 bushing having a cigarette receiving opening and longitudinally disposed slots therein journalled and depressible in the upper end of the cylinder, cigarette gripping members pivotally mounted in the slots in said bushing, said members having offset sections provided with rolls on the free ends thereof the ofiset sections of said members being engageable by the upper end of said cylinder when said bushing is depressed with respect to said cylinder whereby the rolls on said members are forced to grip a cigarette positioned in said cigarette receiving opening and a spring positioned in the cylinder between the lower end of the bushing and lower end of the cylinder for resiliently urging the bushing upwardly.

3. In an ash tray and snuifer, the combination which comprises a tray, a cylinder mounted in the center of the tray, said cylinder having openings through the wall thereof and positioned in the lower portion of said wall, a block having radially disposed slots in the upper end thereof mounted in the lower end of the cylinder, a depressible bushing having a cigarette receiving opening therethrough and longitudinally extending slots therein rotatably in the upper end of the cylinder, cigarette gripping members pivotally mounted in the slots in said bushing, said members having offset sections provided with rolls on the free ends thereof and the offset sections of said members being engageable by the upper end of said cylinder whereby the rolls on said members may be forced to grip a cigarette positioned in said cigarette receiving opening and a spring positioned between the lower end of the bushing and lower end of the cylinder for urging the bushing upwardly of the cylinder.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,972,896 Neahr Sept. 11, 1934 2,348,368 Shepard May 9, 1944 2,520,767 Hinson Aug. 29, 1950 2,671,454 Williams Mar. 9, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 489,446 Great Britain July 27, 1938 

